galactic cosmic rays have just hit a Space Age high

September 29, 2009: Planning a trip to Mars? Take plenty of shielding. According to sensors on NASA's ACE (Advanced Composition Explorer) spacecraft, galactic cosmic rays have just hit a Space Age high.

"In 2009, cosmic ray intensities have increased 19% beyond anything we've seen in the past 50 years," says Richard Mewaldt of Caltech. "The increase is significant, and it could mean we need to re-think how much radiation shielding astronauts take with them on deep-space missions."

The cause of the surge is solar minimum, a deep lull in solar activity that began around 2007 and continues today. Researchers have long known that cosmic rays go up when solar activity goes down. Right now solar activity is as weak as it has been in modern times, setting the stage for what Mewaldt calls "a perfect storm of cosmic rays."

"We're experiencing the deepest solar minimum in nearly a century," says Dean Pesnell of the Goddard Space Flight Center, "so it is no surprise that cosmic rays are at record levels for the Space Age."

Galactic cosmic rays come from outside the solar system. They are subatomic particles--mainly protons but also some heavy nuclei--accelerated to almost light speed by distant supernova explosions. Cosmic rays cause "air showers" of secondary particles when they hit Earth's atmosphere; they pose a health hazard to astronauts; and a single cosmic ray can disable a satellite if it hits an unlucky integrated circuit.

The sun's magnetic field is our first line of defense against these highly-charged, energetic particles. The entire solar system from Mercury to Pluto and beyond is surrounded by a bubble of magnetism called "the heliosphere." It springs from the sun's inner magnetic dynamo and is inflated to gargantuan proportions by the solar wind. When a cosmic ray tries to enter the solar system, it must fight through the heliosphere's outer layers; and if it makes it inside, there is a thicket of magnetic fields waiting to scatter and deflect the intruder.

"At times of low solar activity, this natural shielding is weakened, and more cosmic rays are able to reach the inner solar system," explains Pesnell.

Mewaldt lists three aspects of the current solar minimum that are combining to create the perfect storm:

"And I understood that in an age where there was so much ego, because of the camera, that it was very important to look for that kind of player, ... I began to look for the kind of player that doesn't need his ego fed by stardom, but will do what he's supposed to do because he knows the game and loves the game, and will do the job the right way even if someone else gets the glory." ~ Bill Belichick

1st - Cosmic Rays induces the formation of rains clouds. Therefore we must expect more rains to come. A heavy downpour that you never experienced before which will cause flash floods in great magnitude. With the thinning of earth atmosphere it cannot hold the heavy rains clouds formed so the rain will release in an instant.

Positive effect:

2nd - This is the beginning of perfecting human body through modification in the DNA Helixes. Human body will eventually become a crystaline substance that makes it immortal, no defect, no illness, no craving for earthly foods but its main source of foods is a free energy coming from the center of the universe (heaven).

2nd - This is the beginning of perfecting human body through modification in the DNA Helixes. Human body will eventually become a crystaline substance that makes it immortal, no defect, no illness, no craving for earthly foods but its main source of foods is a free energy coming from the center of the universe (heaven).

Cosmic radiation does not give us superpowers, but actually mutates DNA in unknown ways. This is a bad thing! Cancer rates will skyrocket if we are unshielded.

We can thank the drastic increase in our evolution to the tinkering the aliens did about 40,000 years ago. Not to cosmic rays, or anything of the such!

Quoting: Aleilius

Because we are only beginning to understand DNA and interactions with its environment, I find it best not to deal in absolute statements regarding the subject.

Anything is possible.

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"And I understood that in an age where there was so much ego, because of the camera, that it was very important to look for that kind of player, ... I began to look for the kind of player that doesn't need his ego fed by stardom, but will do what he's supposed to do because he knows the game and loves the game, and will do the job the right way even if someone else gets the glory." ~ Bill Belichick

Cosmic radiation does not give us superpowers, but actually mutates DNA in unknown ways. This is a bad thing! Cancer rates will skyrocket if we are unshielded.

We can thank the drastic increase in our evolution to the tinkering the aliens did about 40,000 years ago. Not to cosmic rays, or anything of the such!

Because we are only beginning to understand DNA and interactions with its environment, I find it best not to deal in absolute statements regarding the subject.

Anything is possible.

------

Once again, Bowman, I am impressed with your wisdom!

Quoting: LelaBear

Hey, nowadays we've got Serbians policing American soil.

Anything is possible, lol!

; )

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"And I understood that in an age where there was so much ego, because of the camera, that it was very important to look for that kind of player, ... I began to look for the kind of player that doesn't need his ego fed by stardom, but will do what he's supposed to do because he knows the game and loves the game, and will do the job the right way even if someone else gets the glory." ~ Bill Belichick

Hundreds of years ago, cosmic ray fluxes were at least 200% to 300% higher than anything measured during the Space Age. Researchers know this because when cosmic rays hit the atmosphere, they produce an isotope of beryllium, 10Be, which is preserved in polar ice. By examining ice cores, it is possible to estimate cosmic ray fluxes more than a thousand years into the past. Even with the recent surge, cosmic rays today are much weaker than they have been at times in the past millennium. [data]

"The space era has so far experienced a time of relatively low cosmic ray activity," says Mewaldt. "We may now be returning to levels typical of past centuries."

1st - Cosmic Rays induces the formation of rains clouds. Therefore we must expect more rains to come. A heavy downpour that you never experienced before which will cause flash floods in great magnitude. With the thinning of earth atmosphere it cannot hold the heavy rains clouds formed so the rain will release in an instant.

Quoting: Prince Akkiko

what? I have never heard this theory before. Do you have a link or any supporting evidence?

1st - Cosmic Rays induces the formation of rains clouds. Therefore we must expect more rains to come. A heavy downpour that you never experienced before which will cause flash floods in great magnitude. With the thinning of earth atmosphere it cannot hold the heavy rains clouds formed so the rain will release in an instant.

what? I have never heard this theory before. Do you have a link or any supporting evidence?

Quoting: Lapis_IV

Evidence: See the rains behavior lately and the so many flooded countrys roundabout the globe. Human scientist are not gifted with heavenly wisdom where unlimited knowledge is given for free.